Condom
A condom having an indicia disposed on the lower side of the roll when the condom is in the rolled configuration. Preferably, the indicia is a fluorescent marking disposed on the inner side of the condom disposed at a location so that, when the condom is in the rolled configuration, the indicia is visible from the lower side only. More preferably, the indicia is a ring-shaped marking extending about the inner side of the tubular body. In this configuration, a user holding a rolled condom can easily determine which is the upper side of the roll and which is the lower side of the roll. The user may then quickly orient the condom with the lower side facing toward the penis and unroll the condom in the proper direction.
This is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 12/642,897, filed Dec. 21, 2009, entitled CONDOM, which application is continuation-in-part and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/983,022, filed Nov. 6, 2007, entitled CONDOM.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a condom and, more specifically, to a condom having an indicia indicating the proper orientation for use.
2. Background Information
Condoms are well known prophylactic devices. The condom is typically made from latex or another plastic, however, natural condoms are still in use. A condom includes a thin, elastic, generally tubular body having an open first end, an elongated medial section, and a closed second end section thereby defining a partially enclosed space. Further, the body, as well as each of the elements set forth in the prior sentence, has an inner side and an outer side. Typically, the open end includes an elastic ring or rib. When used, the penis is disposed in the partially enclosed space with the inner side of the condom contacting the penis.
While condoms are used in an unrolled, or unfurled, configuration, condoms are typically stored in a rolled configuration. The rolled configuration is created by rolling the rib over the outer side of the body medial section. That is, in the rolled configuration, the condom includes a ring-like roll having multiple layers of the medial section of the body being wound about the first end rib. As the rib is initially rolled over the outer side of the body medial section, the outer side of the body medial section is disposed immediately adjacent to the rib. Thus, the exposed side of the roll is the inner side of the body medial section. With each revolution of the roll, the inner side of the body medial section is placed into contact with the exposed section of the roll while the corresponding inner side of the body medial section, i.e. the outer side of the body medial section directly opposite the inner side of the body medial section that is being placed into contact with the exposed section, becomes the outer side of the roll.
In this configuration, the second, closed end of the condom is no part of the roll and extends across the opening in the roll. The roll may be said to have an upper side and a lower side. The roll upper side includes the outer side of the second, closed end while the lower side includes the inner side of the second, closed end. As noted above, the roll always has a section of the inner side of the body medial section exposed. Thus, to wear the condom correctly, the user must unroll the condom with the lower side, and therefore the inner side of the second closed end and medial section, contacting the penis.
Users often have difficulty orienting the condom properly with the lower side of the roll facing downwardly. That is, the upper and lower sides of a rolled condom have a nearly identical appearance. Thus, users who are often distracted by the associated physical activity and/or may be in a dim or dark area, may attempt to put on the condom with the upper side, and therefore the outer surface of the condom, against the penis. Due to the direction of the roll, the condom cannot be unrolled when it is put on upside down.
While the mis-orientation of the condom is easily corrected, many users find such fumbling with a prophylactic device to interrupt what is, hopefully, a passionate activity. As such, many users choose to forego use of a condom and thereby potentially expose themselves, and their partners, to various diseases and the possibility of pregnancy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention discloses a condom having an indicia disposed on the lower side of the roll when the condom is in the rolled configuration. Preferably, the indicia is a fluorescent marking disposed on the inner side of the condom disposed at a location so that, when the condom is in the rolled configuration, the indicia is visible from the lower side only. More preferably, the indicia is a ring-shaped marking extending about the inner side of the tubular body. In this configuration, a user holding the condom can easily determine which is the upper side of the roll and which is the lower side of the roll. The user may then quickly orient the condom with the lower side facing toward the penis and unroll the condom in the proper direction.
A full understanding of the invention can be gained from the following description of the preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
As used herein, the “user” is the male wearing the condom and, as described, is the person handling the condom. It is understood that a condom may be handled by someone other than the person wearing the condom.
As used herein, “fluorescent” shall mean any very bright and/or dazzling color and does not require the color and/or substrate to fluoresce.
As shown in
The condom 10, as noted above, is typically stored in a first, rolled configuration. Thus, after the condom 10 is formed, typically on an elongated mandrill, the condom 10 is rolled as shown in
The condom 10 further includes an indicia 60, best shown in
It is noted that while the preferred indicia 60 is at least one solid ring 60A (
Further, the indicia 60 may be created by an alteration in the thickness of the body 12. That is, a body 12 made of latex, or similar material, tends to be generally smooth. Thus, a visual indicia 60 may also be created by providing deformation 110 to the body 12. The deformation 110 may be of any type, but, as a condom body 12 is typically thin, preferably the deformation 110 is an intermittent thickening or raised portions on the body 12, i.e. one or more “bumps” on the body 12. More preferably the deformation 110 forms a repeating pattern so that it may be more easily seen. Thus, as shown in
The indicia 60 may be formed by, or incorporated with, a material 130 structured to perform an additional function. The material 130 may be, but is not limited to, an adhesive, a lubricant, an anesthetizing agent, and an enhancement agent. An enhancement agent may be a drug or other pharmacological compound. Materials such as these, e.g. an adhesive or a drug structured to enhance an erection, should decrease the chance of having the condom 10 slip of the penis or rupture, therefore increasing the effectiveness and safety of the condom 110. The material 130 may naturally have a noticeable color or be florescent, or, the material 130 may have a dye or similar coloring agent added thereto. As shown in
It is noted that, if the material 130 is an adhesive 132, the adhesive 132 is, preferably, weak, i.e. the adhesive 132 may be easily peeled away from skin while still helping to maintain the condom 10 in place during use. The adhesive 132 may serve an additional purpose. That is, like the “bumps” discussed above, the adhesive 132 provides a tactile indication of the orientation of the condom roll 50. Thus, the user may determine the orientation of the roll 50 via a tactile feedback.
As shown in
As shown in
As discussed above, the indicia 60 is preferably fluorescent. However, other color schemes may also act so as to provide a visual indication as to the orientation of the roll 50. It is known that certain multi-color combinations, identified as high-contrast color schemes, are more likely to be seen/noticed by a human than other color schemes. High contrast color schemes are found both in nature, e.g. on venomous snakes and insects, as well as human made objects, e.g. road signs. High-contrast color schemes include, but are not limited to, black-yellow, black-white, and white-green. The color of the body 12 and the indicia 60 may be any high-contrast color scheme wherein the body 12. is a first color and the indicia 60 is a second color and wherein the first and second colors are a high-contrast color scheme. For example, the body 12 may be black and the indicia 60 may be yellow, or, conversely, the body 12 may be yellow and the indicia 60 may be black. Alternatively, as shown in
As shown in
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. For example, as noted above the indicia 60 is disclosed as providing an indication of orientation. In the preferred embodiment the indicia is disposed on the roll lower side 54. An equivalent design may have the indicia 60 on the roll upper side 52. That is, as long as the indicia 60 is on only one side of the roll, the indicia 60 provides an indication of orientation. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of invention which is to be given the full breadth of the claims appended and any and all equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A condom comprising:
- a tubular body having a closed end and configured as a roll;
- an indicia on said roll, said indicia providing a visual indication as to the orientation of said roll;
- said roll is a generally circular torus, said roll having an upper side and a lower side;
- said indicia extends about one of said roll upper side or said roll lower side; and
- wherein said indicia is printed on said body.
2. The condom of claim 1 wherein said indicia is a reactive-luminescent material.
3. The condom of claim 2 wherein said reactive-luminescent material is a glow-in-the-dark material.
4. The condom of claim 1 wherein said indicia is applied to the inner side of said body.
5. The condom of claim 1 wherein said indicia is fluorescent.
6. The condom of claim 1 wherein said indicia is selected from the group including: at least one ring, a dashed pattern, a dotted pattern, alphanumeric text, a repeating pattern, and a design.
7. The condom of claim 1 wherein said indicia is not visible through said roll.
8. The condom of claim 1 wherein said indicia is formed by a material structured to perform an additional function.
9. A condom comprising:
- a thin, elastic, generally tubular body having an open first end and an elongated medial section, said body having an inner side and an outer side:
- a closed second end section having an inner side and an outer side, said dosed second end section coupled to said body, whereby said body and said closed second end section defining a generally enclosed space:
- said body structured to be reconfigured from a first rolled configuration, wherein said first end is rolled over said outer side of substantially all of said elongated medial section, to a second unrolled configuration, wherein said elongated medial section is substantially unrolled from said first end;
- wherein, when said body is in said first rolled configuration, said elongated medial section is rolled, generally snugly, about said first end thereby creating a roll, said roll having an upper side and a lower side;
- an indicia disposed on said roll, said indicia providing a visual indication as to the orientation of said roll;
- said body being a first color:
- said indicia is a second color;
- said first and second colors are a high-contrast color scheme; and
- wherein said indicia is printed on said body.
10. The condom of claim 9 wherein:
- said roll is a generally circular torus, said roll having an upper side and a lower side; and
- said indicia extends about one of said upper side or said lower side.
11. The condom of claim 9 wherein said indicia is applied to the inner side of said body.
12. The condom of claim 9 wherein said indicia is fluorescent.
13. The condom of claim 9 wherein said indicia is selected from the group including: at least one ring, a dashed pattern, a dotted pattern, alphanumeric text, a repeating pattern, and a design.
14. The condom of claim 9 wherein said indicia is not visible through said roll.
15. A condom comprising:
- a tubular body having a closed end and configured as a roll;
- an indicia on said roll, said indicia providing a visual indication as to the orientation of said roll;
- said roll is a generally circular torus, said roll having an upper side and a lower side;
- said indicia extends about one of said roll upper side or said roll lower side;
- said body is a first color;
- said indicia is a second color; and
- said first and second colors are a high-contrast color scheme.
16. A condom comprising:
- a tubular body having a closed end and configured as a roll;
- an indicia on said roll, said indicia providing a visual indication as to the orientation of said roll;
- said roll is a generally circular torus, said roll having an upper side and a lower side;
- said indicia extends about one of said roll upper side or said roll lower side; and
- wherein said indicia includes at least two high contrast colors disposed in alternating bands.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Feb 11, 2014
Date of Patent: Apr 28, 2015
Patent Publication Number: 20140174450
Inventor: William Thomas Mistler (Raleigh, NC)
Primary Examiner: Alireza Nia
Assistant Examiner: Brandon L Jackson
Application Number: 14/177,528
International Classification: A61F 6/02 (20060101); A61F 6/04 (20060101); A41D 19/04 (20060101); B05D 3/00 (20060101); A61F 6/06 (20060101); A61F 5/00 (20060101); A61F 6/00 (20060101); A61B 10/00 (20060101); A61B 1/00 (20060101);